Unit 4, Module 2: Spanning and Nesting Tables

Module 2 Overview:

There are three lessons to this module. The first two involve spanning. Spanning can be a very tricky concept to teach. In this module students start with a relatively simple lesson in spanning with the table wizard in HomeSite. The second lesson they do a similar exercise without the use of a wizard. The third lesson is a quick and easy application of the nesting concept.

Module 2: List of Lessons

• Lesson 1: Spanning Exercise Using a Wizard (Lesson length 90 minutes)
• Description: Students are given several colored rectangular images. They are asked to assemble images in a table using row and column spanning. The goal being to assemble the images in the exact same manner as the model. Students use a table wizard program in HomeSite which makes spanning much simpler than hand coding.
• Learner Outcomes: The student will be able to-
• span columns and rows of a table with the aid of an editor's wizard.
• Activity: Have students do the spanning exercise using the table wizard in HomeSite.
• Handout/Resources Needed: HomeSite's Table Wizard.
• Suggested Assessment: Check student monitors to see if they successfully replicated the model.
• Lesson 2: Spanning Exercise from Scratch (Lesson length 120 minutes)
• Description: Students do basically the same thing as they did in the previous lesson only this time they do not use a wizard for constructing their table.
• Learner Outcomes: The student will be able to-
• span columns and rows of a table without the aid of an editor's wizard.
• Activity: Have students do the spanning exercise from scratch in NotePad or HomeSite.
• Handout/Resources Needed: Notebook paper for a preliminary sketch of the table. Notepad or HomeSite.
• Suggested Assessment: Check student monitors to see if they successfully replicated the model. Also, check for deeper understanding by asking the following questions:
  1. How many cell or column tags are in rows one, two, and three?
  2. When you look at the code for a given row of the table and it contains two column tags that have a combined width of less than the table's width of 350 pixels, how do you account for this difference?
• Lesson 3: Nesting Tables (Lesson length 60 minutes)
• Description: As with the other lessons in this module students attempt to replicate a model. They construct a parent table and then embed another table within it. This unit also involves review of table cell alignment tricks taught in the previous module (Unit 4, Module 1: Controlling Alignment within the Cell Tag). Once students successfully nest tables they are asked to make content of two cells touch without a gap or border.
• Learner Outcomes: The student will be able to-
• nest a table within a table.
• make elements of adjoining cells contact without gaps or borders.
• Activity: Have students do the nesting exercise.
• Handout/Resources Needed:
  • HomeSite or Notepad
  • Table Tips
• Suggested Assessment: Check student monitors to see if they successfully replicated the model. This lesson requires a second check to see that students successfully made content of two cells touch, "kiss".